Convertible seat



oct. s, 1964 c.y c. MCLEAN 3,151,342

CONVERTIBLE SEAT Filed Nov. l5. 1962 ml/l? 51g?, 'l'/v/ ,Z-my" 112C 6772 L 4 113,4 JIJ Il u MZZ c e i n n I I I l I United States Patent O 3,151,342 CONVERTIBLE SEAT Colin C. McLean, 936 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, Ill. Filed Nov. 15, 1962, Ser. No. 237,922 Claims. (Cl. 5-29) This invention relates to a seat that is adapted to be converted for temporary use as a bed and more particularly is concerned with a chair structure that is convertible to provide temporary sleeping for a single per-son.

Convertible chairs are presently available but are large, heavy and too cumbersome `for convenient use. There is at present a particular demand in childrensl hospitals for a chair capable of providing temporary sleeping for -a parent, The average size hospital room of this type is severely limited in space and cannot accommodate large chairs.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a compact seat structure that is convertible to use as a bed.

Another object is to provide a convertible seat structure employing a minimum of moving parts and comprised of a simple frame construction that is easy to fabricate.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a convertible chair having a seat cushion surface that is pitched ldownwardly and having support arms correspondingly pitched downwardly for maximum comfort.

An additional object of the invention lis to provide a convertible chair of the above type and having movable cushions that serve yas seat and back supports when used as a chair and that cooperatively serve as a mattress when used in bed position.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specication and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

FIGURE l is a side elevational view illustrating a convertible structure in accordance with this invention, with the structure shown in seat position for use as a chair;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view illustrating the structure in bed position and connected to an ottoman for extending the bed length;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the frame arrangement when the same is in bed position;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged detailed face view taken on the line 4 4 as indicated in FIGURE 1 and illustrating a latch structure for securing the parts in seat position;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the arrangement for securing the convertible frame to the ottoman for use in bed position; and

FIGURE 6 is a side elevational view of an alternative embodiment of the invention with the frame and cushions thereof being arranged in bed position.

Referring now to the drawings, a convertible unit is designated generally at 10 and in FIGURE 1 is arranged as .a chair while in FIGURE 2 it is arranged as a bed and is connected to an ottoman 11 that functions as an end extension for use as a bed.

The convertible unit 10 comprises a rigid base frame 12, a subframe 13, a seat cushion 14, and a back cushion 15.

The subframe 13 has hinges 16 connected to the base frame 12 and defining a transverse hinge line at the front of the base frame to `accommodate swinging movement of lthe subframe 13 from its seat position (FIGURE 1) wherein the subframe is arranged in supportedly overlying coextensive relation to the main frame 12, to a bed position (FIGURE 2) wherein the subframe 13 is inverted and is arranged in general fore-and-aft alignment with the base frame 12.

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In the preferred form of FIGURES 1 to 3, as shown herein, for purposes of illustrative disclosure, the main base frame 12 is generally rectangular in plan view (see FIGURE 3) and has cushion support structure 12C bordered by laterally spaced fore-and-aft extending side rails 12R to provide a generally upwardly directed cushion support surface. The main base frame 12 has a set of four depending support legs 12L and a rigid back 12B projecting upwardly at a Asight angle at the rear of the cushion support structure 12C. Preferably, the side rails terminate slightly rearwardly of the back 12B.

The subframe 13 is also generally rectangular in plan View (see FIGURE 3) and has cushion support structure 13C bordered by laterally spaced fore-and-aft extending side rails 13R to provide a generally upwardly directed cushion support surface. The side rails 13R of the subframe rare spaced corresponding to the spacing of the side rails 12R of the 4base frame. In seat position the side rails 13R of the subframe extend full length in overlying supported relation along the side rails 12R of the base frame and in bed position the side rails 13R of the seat frame project in general fore-and-aft alignment with the side rails 12R of the base frame.

The subframe 13 has vertically offset support rail structure 13A on each side. When the subframe 13 is in seat position the support rail structure 13A is elevated `and functions as an arm support. When the subframe 13 is in bed position the support rail structure 13A engages the floor to locate the cushion support surface of the subframe at the elevation desired.

In the preferred form of the invention, as illustrated in FIGURES 1 to 3, the side rails 12R of the base frame are horizontal and they engage and support the side rails 13Rof 'the subframe in a horizontal relationship. Accordingly, the seat cushion 14 has a thickness that tapers from front to rear to provide a seat :surface 14S that is pitched slightly downwardly in the aft direction.

In order to provide a horizontal bed surface, the subfrarne 13 of the preferred form, when in bed position, defines a cushion support surface 13C that is pitched downwardly in the fore direction at :a rate corresponding to the taper of the seat cushion, such that positioning of the seat cushion 14 upon the subframe results in a generally horizontal bed Isurf-ace (see FIGURE 2). The back cushion 15 is of uniform thickness and is positionable upon the cushion support structure 12C of the base frame 12 to present a horizontal bed surface that is aligned with the bed surface presented by the seat cushion.

The back cushion is comprised of hinged sections 15A along one adjacent edge region thereof by hinge straps 15H or equivalent structure. These sections are of uniform thickness.

It should be noted that the pitch of the subframe 13 when in lbed position is afforded by the shape of the support rail structure 13A. This shape also inherently provides the support rail structure, when the subfrarne is in seat position, with a downward pitch corresponding to that of the seat cushion surface and this arrangement affords maximum comfort to the user.

The ottoman 11 shown in FIGURE 2 comprises a support frame 11F having a set of depending legs 11L and it carries a cushion 11C in xed position thereon. To use the equipment as a -bed the ottoman 11 is affixed to the front end ofthe subframe 13. For this purpose, as shown in FIGURE 5, the subframe has headed posts 13P projecting forwardly from each of its side rails 13R and the support frame 11F of the ottoman has keyhole-like slots arranged across its adjacent corner edges to provide an enlarged `slot region for reception of the post head and to provide a reduced slot region for retaining the head against accidental disengagement.

To atford maximum comfort to the unit when used as a bed the cushions are of foam rubber and have combined fore-and-a-ft dimensions of 541/2 as compared with a combined support surface having a fore-and-aft dimension of 26% plus 251,/4 making a total of 52". Since the ottoman cushion 11C is xed upon its support frame 11F the attachment of the ottoman to the subframe acts to compress the cushions 14 and 15 and this eliminates gaps at the locations where the cushions adjoin. The width dimensions of the cushions are also slightly greater than the lateral spacing of the support rail structure 13A to enable the support rail structure 13A, when in seat position, to pinch the cushions and stabilize their location.

When the subframe 13 is in the seat position its connection posts 131 project from the rear of the unit and hooklike latches 17 are provided on the rear support legs 1ZL of .the base frame for engaging the posts 13? to anchor the subframe 13 against 4accidental movements such as might occur when the unit is being moved about.

An alternative form of convertible unit is shown in FIGURE 6 and corresponding reference numerals in the 100 series are employed for corresponding parts. In the arrangement of FIGURE 6 the base frame 112 has its cushion support structure 112C and bordering side rails 112K pitches downwardly in the aft direction. arrangement causes the subframe 113 when in seat position to correspondingly lie in a downwardly pitched direction and enables the use of a seat cushion 114 of uniform thickness. When the subframe 113 of FIGURE 6 is in bed position its cushion support structure 113C and bordering side rails 113R are horizontal as determined by the configuration of the support rail structure 113A. Accordingly, the uniform thickness seat cushion 114 is ernployed upon the subframe 113 for providing a horizontal bed surface. In this arrangement, the back cushion 115 has a thickness tapering in accordance with the pitch of the cushion support surface of the base frame 112 to the end that in bed position the back cushion 11S overlying the pitched base frame 112 presents a horizontal bed surface.

In the FIGURE 6 arrangement the back cushion sections are designated 115A and 115B and again are hinged together by a strap hinge 115H along adjacent edge regions thereof. Each section tapers in an increasing thickness relationship from front to rear and the adjacent edges of these sections are of corresponding thickness to present a smoothly merging assembly for use as a bed cushion.

In each of the disclosed embodiments, the rigid frame structures are comprised of hollow metal tubing but equivalent -structural arrangements familiar to those skilled in this art are also contemplated within the sco-pe of this invention.

It should be understood that the description of the preferred form of the invention is for the purpose of complying with section 112, Title 35, of the US. Code and that the claims should be construed as broadly as prior art will permit.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, an ottoman having a support cushion carried upon a support frame structure, and a convertible seat and bed structure having a generally rectangular rigid base frame having depending support legs and having cushion support structure bordered by fore- Aand-aft extending side rails, said base frame having a rigid back extending between said side rails and projecting upwardly at the rear of said base frame, a generally rectangular rigid subfrarne having cushion support structure bordered by correspondingly laterally spaced, foreand-aft extending side rails generally coextensive with the Vside rails of said base frame, said subframe side rails having fore-and-.aft extending support rail structure carried Yin vertically offset overlying relation, means hingedly connecting one end of said subframe yto said base frame for accommodating swinging movement of the subframe, about a transverse line at the front of said base frame,

This basic between a seat position wherein the side rails of said subframe are in overlying, adjacent supported engagement upon the side rails of said base frame and wherein the support rail structure is elevated and functions as an arm support, and a bed position wherein said support rail structure functions as a support leg and locates the side rails of said subframe in general fore-and-aft alignment with the side rails of said base frame, a first cushion positionable upon the cushion support structure of said subframe when the subframe is in seat position, a second cushion positionable along said back in edgewise supporting contact upon said first cushion when said subframe is in seat position, one of said cushions being positionable upon the cushion support structure of said subframe when the subframe is in bed position and the other of said cushions being positionable upon the cushion support structure of said main frame when the subframe is in bed position, with said cushions collectively constituting a substantially continuous bed cushion surface extending from said back to the front of the subframe, said ottoman being positionable in fore-and-aft alignment with the main frame and subframe to provide an extension of said bed cushion surface, and means for fixing the subframe to said support frame to secure said ottoman in said foreand-aft alignment.

2. The arrangement of claim l and releasable means for securing said subframe to said base frame when said subfrarne is in seat position to prevent undesired relative swinging movements therebetween.

3. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the last named means therein comprises a headed post projecting horizonytally forwardly from the front of said subframe when the subfrarne is in bed position, and said support frame has a rearwardly opening keyhole slot to receive and retain said post against accidental dislodgment, and wherein said base frame has movably mounted latch means at the rear thereof and releasably engageable with said post when the subframe is in seat position.

4. In combination, an ottoman having a support cushion carried upon a support frame structure, and a convertible seat and bed structure having a generally rectangular rigid base frame having depending support legs and having cushion support structure bordered by foreand-aft extending horizontal side rails, said base frame having a rigid back extending between said side rails and projecting upwardly at the rear of said base frame, a generally rectangular rigid subframe having cushion support structure bordered,v by correspondingly laterally spaced, fore-and-aft extending side rails generally coextensive with the side rails of said base frame, said subframe side rails having fore-and-aft extending support rail structure carried in vertically offset overlying relation, means hingedly connecting one end of said subframe to said base frame for accommodating swinging movement of the subframe, about a transverse line at the front of said base frame, between a seat position wherein the side rails of Said subfrarne are in overlying, adjacent supported engagement upon the side rails of said base frame and wherein the support rail structure is elevated and functions as an arm support that has a downward pitch in the aft direction, and a bed position wherein said support rail structure functions as a support leg and locates the side rails of said subframe in general fore-and-aft alignment with the side rails of said base frame and at a corresponding downward pitch in the fore direction, a first cushion having a thickness that tapers in a fore-and-aft direction and positionable upon the cushion support structure of said subframe when the subframe is in seat position to present a seat cushion surface that has a downward pitch in the aft direction and positionable upon the cushion support surface of said subframe when the subframe is in bed position to present a generally horizontal bed cushion surface, and a second cushion positionable upon the cushion support structure of said main frame when the subframe is in bed position to present a bed cushion suro face that is horizontally aligned with the rst named bed cushion surface and positionable along said back in edgewise supporting contact upon said seat cushion surface when said subfrarne is in seat position and said first cushion is positioned thereon, said ottoman being positionable in fore-and-aft alignment with the main frame and subframe to provide an extension of said bed cushion surface, and means for fixing the subframe to said support frame to secure said ottoman in said fore-andaft alignment.

5. In combination, an ottoman having a support cushion carried upon a support frame structure, and a convertible seat and bed structure having a generally rectangular rigid base frame having depending support legs and having cushion support structure bordered by fore-and-aft extending side rails, said cushion support structure and said side rails having a slight downward pitch in the aft direction, said base frame having a rigid back extending between said side rails and projecting upwardly at the rear of said base frame, a generally rectangular rigid subframe having cushion support structure bordered by correspondingly laterally spaced, foreeandaft extending side rails generally coextensive with the side rails of said base frame, said subframe side rails having fore-and-aft extending support rail structure carried in vertically offset overlying relation, means hingedly connecting one end of said subframe to said base frame for accommodating swinging movement of the subframe, about a transverse line at the front of said base frame, between a seat position wherein the side rails of said subframe are in overlying, adjacent supported engagement upon the side rails of said base frame and wherein the support rail structure is elevated and functions as an arm support that has a downward pitch in the aft direction, and a bed position wherein said support rail structure functions as a support leg and locates the side rails of said subframe in general fore-and-aft alignment with the side rails of said base frame and extending substantially horizontally, a iirst cushion having a uniform thickness and positionable upon the cushion support structure of said subframe when the subframe is in seat position to present a seat cushion surface that has a downward pitch in the aft direction and positionable upon the cushion support surface of said subframe when the subframe is in bed position to present a generally horizontal bed cushion surface, and a second cushion having a thickness that tapers in a fore-and-aft direction in accordance with said pitch and positionable upon the cushion support structure of said main frame when the subframe is in bed position to present a bed cushion surface that is horizontally aligned with the first named bed cushion surface and positionable along said back in edgewise supporting Contact upon said seat cushion surface when said subframe is in seat position and said first cushion is positioned thereon, said ottoman being positionable in foreand-aft alignment with the main frame and subframe to provide an extension of said bed cushion surface, and means for fixing the subframe to said support frame 'to secure said ottoman in said ore-and-aft alignment.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,197,359 Evans Sept. 5, 1916 1,210,878 Weber et al. Jan. 2, 1917 2,579,921 Gibbs Dec. 25, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 143,798 Australia Cot. 12, 1951 211,631 Switzerland Dec. 16, 1940 471,999 Italy June 3, 1952 808,614 Germany July 16, 1951 1,076,112 France Apr. 2l, 1954 

1. IN COMBINATION, AN OTTOMAN HAVING A SUPPORT CUSHION CARRIED UPON A SUPPORT FRAME STRUCTURE, AND A CONVERTIBLE SEAT AND BED STRUCTURE HAVING A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR RIGID BASE FRAME HAVING DEPENDING SUPPORT LEGS AND HAVING CUSHION SUPPORT STRUCTURE BORDERED BY FOREAND-AFT EXTENDING SIDE RAILS, SAID BASE FRAME HAVING A RIGID BACK EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID SIDE RAILS AND PROJECTING UPWARDLY AT THE REAR OF SAID BASE FRAME, A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR RIGID SUBFRAME HAVING CUSHION SUPPORT STRUCTURE BORDERED BY CORRESPONDINGLY LATERALLY SPACED, FOREAND-AFT EXTENDING SIDE RAILS GENERALLY COEXTENSIVE WITH THE SIDE RAILS OF SAID BASE FRAME, SAID SUBFRAME SIDE RAILS HAVING FORE-AND-AFT EXTENDING SUPPORT RAIL STRUCTURE CARRIED IN VERTICALLY OFFSET OVERLYING RELATION, MEANS HINGEDLY CONNECTING ONE END OF SAID SUBFRAME TO SAID BASE FRAME FOR ACCOMMODATING SWINGING MOVEMENT OF THE SUBFRAME, ABOUT A TRANSVERSE LINE AT THE FRONT OF SAID BASE FRAME, BETWEEN A SEAT POSITION WHEREIN THE RAILS OF SAID SUBFRAME ARE IN OVERLYING, ADJACENT SUPPORTED ENGAGEMENT UPON THE SIDE RAILS OF SAID BASE FRAME AND WHEREIN THE SUPPORT RAIL STRUCTURE IS ELEVATED AND FUNCTIONS AS AN ARM SUPPORT, AND A BED POSITION WHEREIN SAID SUPPORT RAIL STRUCTURE FUNCTIONS AS A SUPPORT LEG AND LOCATES THE SIDE RAILS OF SAID SUBFRAME IN GENERAL FORE-AND-AFT ALIGNMENT WITH THE SIDE RAILS OF SAID BASE FRAME, A FIRST CUSHION POSITIONABLE UPON THE CUSHION SUPPORT STRUCTURE OF SAID SUBFRAME WHEN THE SUBFRAME IS IN SEAT POSITION, A SECOND CUSHION POSITIONABLE ALONG SAID BACK IN EDGEWISE SUPPORTING CONTACT UPON SAID FIRST CUSHION WHEN SAID SUBFRAME IS IN SEAT POSITION, ONE OF SAID CUSHIONS BEING POSITIONABLE UPON THE CUSHION SUPPORT STRUCTURE OF SAID SUBFRAME WHEN THE SUBFRAME IS IN BED POSITION AND THE OTHER OF SAID CUSHIONS BEING POSITIONABLE UPON THE CUSHION SUPPORT STRUCTURE OF SAID MAIN FRAME WHEN THE SUBFRAME IS IN BED POSITION, WITH SAID CUSHIONS COLLECTIVELY CONSTITUTING A SUBSTANTIALLY CONTINUOUS BED CUSHION SURFACE EXTENDING FROM SAID BACK TO THE FRONT OF THE SUBFRAME, SAID OTTOMAN BEING POSITIONABLE IN FORE-AND-AFT ALIGNMENT WITH THE MAIN FRAME AND SUBFRAME TO PROVIDE AN EXTENSION OF SAID BED CUSHION SURFACE, AND MEANS FOR FIXING THE SUBFRAME TO SAID SUPPORT FRAME TO SECURE SAID OTTOMAN IN SAID FOREAND-AFT ALIGNMENT. 